Delicious Pumpkin-ness

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Or just a really nice Thursday if you're not American. It feels great to be home, and I've been going on a baking spree. First, I helped my sister and her man make an apple pie.

Isn't she lovely? 

Then...I needed some pumpkin. But no one in my family likes pumpkin pie except my mom. 

Sorry Mom. I'll make you a pie someday. 

So instead I made these awesome pumpkin-y muffin thingies. Mm. So delicious and moist. Does anyone else think moist is a gross word? Anyway. These cakes are filled with spices...and sugar...and brown butter...sigh. 

I dunno why the burner looks so awesome.

Brown butter is really flavorful, it adds a lot to baked goods. If you've never worked with brown butter, fear not, it's easy. Just melt some butter, stir, and keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn. It almost has a nutty taste. Annnnd....these were supposed to be cupcakes. With brown butter icing. But they tasted really good without them. In fact, I just ate one. While typing.

Yes, they're ugly. But they make up for it with taste and charming personality. 

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes

from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin tins with paper
liners. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and continue
to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown, Skim
foam from top, and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl to stop the
cooking, leaving any burned sediment behind; let cool.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs,
and brown-butter mixture. Add the flour mixture, and whisk until just
combined.
Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.
Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in
centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks
to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Makes about 15 cupcakes.